Crime & Justice

Fire officials' dilemma: How to deal with those who defy evacuation orders

The map shows homes in the Ondulando and Clearpoint neighborhoods that were destroyed in the Thomas Fire, and the arrow indicates a home that was saved by a man who stayed behind after a mandatory evacuation order.
Ventura Fire Department

It happens in every big wildfire. Officials issue mandatory evacuation orders, but some people stay behind and try to save their homes. Sometimes they succeed, and that raises a policy question that firefighters would rather not confront.